1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to computer systems adapted to insert information elements in information element axes. The present invention more specifically relates to methods and apparatuses for reducing and preventing confusion when information elements are inserted in displayed array of information elements.
2. Description of the Related Art
Axes of documents present documents thereon in a predetermined fashion. They are displayed on the axis in a collated manner; that is, they are sorted on an axis in a specific order, often chronological. Moreover, documents displayed on these axes share one or more attributes. The attribute is a certain descriptive element ascribed to a document by a user.
A document can have one or more attributes. For example, one's picture taken on a vacation trip to Mexico can have the following attributes: “Mexico 2012 trip,” “Mary and the dog on the beach,” and “June 2012 cocktail party.” The picture, therefore, was taken during someone's trip to Mexico, which took place sometimes in June of 2012. Moreover, this picture is one where Mary, the protagonist of the picture, is with her dog on the beach.
The number of documents displayed on an axis varies. The length of the axes upon which these documents are displayed fluctuates as well in dependence of the number of documents they contain. Given their nature and purpose to graphically display the documents of which they are composed, axes' actual lengths differ in dependence of the number of documents they have. Some axes might have as little as one document, while others might contain more.
Axes are visible on a display area, for example, a computer screen. The display area can reveal more than one axis at a time. Some axis, with a small number of documents, can be fully displayed on the display area, as their lengths are relatively short and can easily fit within the frame of the display area. Others, however, which have a relatively high number of documents, cannot be fully shown on the display area and, therefore, are partially visible on a display area. The viewer, consequently, can access the non-displayed documents of the axes by scrolling to the right or to the left of the display area in dependence of the location of the document(s) searched.
Changes made to documents in an axis can drastically change the location of the documents on the respective axis. For example, if a certain axis contains “10” documents, and if “20” more of such similar documents are added to the respective axis within a small time frame (a few seconds), the initial “10” documents which were present on the axis can either be dislocated to the right or the left sides of the axis so that the other “20” documents can now be aligned on the axis. The axis becomes larger as a result of this very addition of documents.
Similarly, documents can also be removed from a certain axis. If the initial number of documents on an axis were “30” and if “20” documents were simultaneously removed from the axis, the remaining “10” documents would be subject to an automatic movement towards the center of the axis.
Documents are added on an axis when they receive one attribute that defines the rest of the documents on that respective axis. Documents are removed or, consequently, deleted from an axis when they are no longer defined by the attribute that once linked them to that respective axis.
The addition and the removal of documents on an axis are less significant to the viewer when the specific axis is not visible on the display area. Stating differently, if someone were to look at an axis containing five documents sharing the common attribute “higher education in Canada” (the five documents being all displayed on the display area), s/he would not notice any changes on the visual display if “20” other documents were simultaneously being added to two other axes nonvisible on the display area. This scenario, however, would not apply if the same “20” documents were being added to the axis with the five documents on “higher education in Canada”. The viewer would notice the graphical enlargement of the axis displayed on the screen as a result of this addition. Moreover, the initial five documents on the axis would be consequently displaced either to the right or left of the axis to provide the necessary space for the new documents' addition.
Changes in the number of documents present on an axis are, therefore, more significant to the viewer when the axis is visible on the display area. By significant, one refers to the effects these changes can have on the viewer(s). Document displacements on the display area can lead to various undesirable consequences to the viewer, such as loss of focus on a document(s); occurrence of at least one unintended error in the viewing, modification and/or management of a document(s); possible disorientation, perplexity and/or puzzlement of the viewer caused by the change in the layout of document(s); and unforeseen and unintended dissatisfaction and frustration of the viewer. These are mere examples, and do not embody the total number of possible outcomes that might arise as a result of document displacements and/or axes dislocations on the display area.
Documents dislocations on axes may cause the axes to displace. Stated differently, axes to which documents were inserted and/or removed may move themselves to the right or to the left of the display area in order to adjust to the updated number of documents they contain. This phenomenon, also, can cause unwanted consequences on the viewer, some of which were listed above.
A user can manage one's own documents. In other words, one can add and/or remove documents from an axis. This axis may or not be visible on the display area. Its visibility on the display area is caused by the user's exploration of one or more of its documents on the display area.
Moreover, a user can manage attributes associated with these respective documents. When the managing of attributes by the user does occur, significant changes in the way documents are sorted, and, therefore, listed on an axis can occur. Documents on an axis may be dislocated to the right or to the left of the axis.
Needless to say, there is a positive correlation between the number of documents added and/or removed on a certain axis and the potential undesirable impact these changes have on the user. The greater is the number of documents that are added or removed from an axis, the greater is the impact on the layout and the graphical display of the documents on this axis.
More than one user can manage and share documents on a specific axis at a given time. By “sharing,” on refers to the act of holding the right to assign and/or remove attributes to documents. For example, a first user can manage one's attributes. However, the association and/or disassociation of attributes will affect another user. Needless to explain, the impact of these changes can be significant, especially when the other user views on the display area an axis or several axes presenting documents associated with the attributes subjected to simultaneous changes by another user.
Documents can modify their location on the axes in a precipitous manner and without prior warning. This increases the likelihood of confusion and frustration caused to the viewer of these axes, both most likely arising from the potential unintended error(s) one can commit as a result of these sudden changes on the axes.
It is therefore highly desirable to have a mechanism preventing or reducing confusion and frustration caused by the addition and/or removal of documents from displayed axes.
It is also desirable to orderly present the changes on the axes visible on the display area, in order to help the viewer understand the changes that are taken place.
It is yet desirable to display warnings of the changes that are occurring on the axes as a result of the addition and/or removal of the documents and to offer the viewer of the display area choices of actions matching one's needs.
It is desirable, also, to inform the viewer of the number and identity of the user(s) who have added and/or removed documents on the displayed axes.
Moreover, it is also necessary to have a system that would analyze and assess the viewer's behavior in respect to the display area in order to decide the best action(s) to be undertaken in terms of the location where a document or documents may be best added and/or removed on axis shown on the display area so that its/their insertion and/or removal would cause little or no undesirable effects on the viewer.
It is equally desirable to offer the viewer the proper means to control and manage the number of, and time when, at least modifications to documents viewable in the display area can take place.
Other deficiencies will become apparent to one skilled in the art to which the invention pertains in view of the following summary and detailed description with its appended figures.